pursuit of more of our old friends the French partridges, but they were no longer at our mercy as in the snow. Wilder and more cunning birds we never saw; it was positively amusing to observe them half a mile or more a-head, running over the fallows from field to field, teasing and vexing the dogs with the strong scent they leave behind, but defying their best sagacity to get near them. Though out nearly as many hours as on the day in the snow, the united amount of our sport was only five and a-half bracc-an extraordinary contrast when considered with the previous sport, and all due to the different state of weather. It was of no use doubling hedge-rows in the expectation of finding them there when the snow was gone: no, they were too cunning to hide in such dangerous shelter, preferring the open fields as their all-day resort, and giving the preference to fallows and ridges. The experience gained, and the intimate knowledge acquired of the habits and peculiarities of the French partridge, by these adventures, have often since formed the subject of consideration. It is impossible to treat otherwise than as a great nuisance the presence of French partridges on an estate where English birds are preserved: and when once they have spread themselves over the estate, it is almost impossible to get rid of them by legitimate means, unless winter favours the process of extermination with a few weeks of deep snow. But, with such continued assistance from the weather, we believe every bird of them might be killed, in the manner suggested; and most excellent sport had in the whole operations, if followed up with that perseverance and determination which is required in all truly successful sport with dog and gun.

French partridges are never in better condition than during the sharp weather of the months of December and January; they are then fat and plump, and of very large size: though inferior to the English bird as a table delicacy, their flesh is not to be despised: it is at least first-cousin to pheasant, when nicely roasted and served up by a skilled cook. It occurs to our minds that if French partridges could by any possibility be kept entirely distinct from English birds on an estate or portion of a manor, very fine sport might be had. A dog might perhaps be trained exclusively to French birds, and in course of time would be awake to some of their cunning. But it is quite clear that a dog which is used to both species is almost useless for either. There are insuperable objections to such a state of things as an estate in England stocked exclusively with English birds. We have, therefore, not put the above discussion on the ground of practicability or even suggestion, but merely for the sake of argument, and for the purpose of showing how very desirable it would be to exterminate the whole race of French partridges in this country, and so restore our manors to that happy state of old, when a sportsman with a good brace of pointers could go out and enjoy the sport of English partridge shooting in good old English style, without having his temper tried to the utmost, in the ruin of his beautiful dogs by a race of birds that ought never to have been turned down in this country, except with their wings clipped and under lock and key. And yet we have no doubt but that the noble sportsmen who first turned them down in this country thought they were doing a great good, and conferring a national boon upon their brother-sportsmen, and one which would be

handed down to posterity for the pleasure and profit of English sportsmen. The worthy sportsmen, however, would have done well to have made themselves more intimately acquainted with the bad habits of these birds, as well as the good: had they done so, we feel confident they would never have introduced such creatures to their brother-sportsmen on English land.

The author of "The Dead Shot, or Sportsmen's Complete Guide," has some very interesting chapters on French partridges, and the best means of killing them. He says at page 129 of the third edition :

"There is one branch of the sport of French partridge-shooting which affords splendid practice; and that is when the snow lies thickly on the ground in new-fallen flakes. At such a time the birds are entirely at the mercy of the sportsmen; they cannot run far in the snow, consequently are deprived of the very means of using their cunning, and they hide in the fences, where they may be easily traced, turned out, and shot. An experienced sportsman will sometimes kill as many in a deep snow as on the first day of the shooting season; and many prefer the winter sport to the best day in the whole month of September: it is, truly, fine practice where the birds are numerous; and no matter how wild they have previously been, the snow so completely tames and deprives them of the use of their legs, that they fall easy vietims. Try nothing but the fences and small copses; and take care to mark those down which fly away. The sportsman always rejoices at the victory which a heavy fall of snow enables him to make over these troublesome birds."

But, after all, we perhaps ought to be the last to complain of the French birds, considering the splendid sport we have had with them in deep snows; and if it were always winter with us, or rather if we had for certain only one month of deep snow every winter, then we admit one might, for the sake of that month's fine sport with French birds in the hedge-rows, overlook a good deal of the evil they bring about to our sport in September and October. That, indeed, is where the shoe pinches. It is the time sportsinen look forward to as the season of one of the most infatuating sports of this country, and it is almost intolerable that it should be spoilt at the outset, and our dogs ruined right off, by coming in contact with a covey or two of French birds; therein is the very core of the evil, and it appears to us as quite irremediable except by the total expulsion from our lands of the whole species.

Some of our readers will probably inquire, "But how do they get on in France, where they have scarcely any others?" Our answer is that the very fact of there being an entire absence of English birds enables the chasseur to train his dogs specially to the birds of the country; and, therefore, the evil which exists in this country, where the two species exist on the same manor, does not occur in France. And here again our former observations apply, as to keeping the two species distinct-one class on one manor and one on the other; but as that cannot possibly be accomplished in this country, English sportsmen would most gladly be rid entirely of the red-legged partridge.

In some parts, where their extermination is aimed at, it is the practice with game-keepers to search for the nests of these birds, and destroy their eggs; and where this is done, a heavy blow is struck to their increase at the right time. But it is impossible for the most vigilant keeper to find all the nests, or even half of them, where these birds are numerous; and so, though much good may be done by thus early preventing their increase, such means will not alone be sufficient for getting entirely rid of them. Though coupled with the fine opportunities afforded by deep snow in winter, the combined exertions of sportsmen and gamekeepers may at least prevent the species from spreading further through the country. It is many years since we have had so much snow in England as this year; there have, therefore, been unusual opportunities for killing game in the winter, and game of all kinds is very much at the mercy of sportsmen during the time that deep snows lie on the ground. Hares and rabbits, as well as partridges, may be traced in all their movements over and about the snow, their hiding places being easily discovered; and when the snow is very deep, they may be run down and captured. And very good fun it is to chase rabbits in the snow: they evade their pursuers for some time by dodging and leaping along, but if followed up closely and turned out of their hiding places, they may soon be captured. Directly they attempt to burrow in the snow it is all up with them if the pursuers be at their heels; for by thrusting the hands and arms in the snow after them they may be easily caught. Of course, the pursuers have many a topple, heels over head, in the snow; but they must not mind such little inconveniences if they would capture the rabbit. It is excellent fun where rabbits are numerous; though in order to make much of the sport, if any of their burrows remain uncovered, they must be filled over with snow, or bunny will hie to his stronghold, where nothing but an animal of the ferret species can turn him out. Rabbits and hares are undoubtedly in a very helpless and bewildered state when away from their burrows in a deep snow. And we can fully understand the observations of the unfortunate parson who was lost in the snow a night and a day" on the Staffordshire hills during the past month, when he tells us that hares were sitting about in the snow within a few yards of him, and seemed quite tame and unconcerned at the presence and close proximity of man, and that he could have caught one or two alive had he been disposed to have done so. The same thing has happened over and over again to persons in a like predicament to the unfortunate parson alluded to; and, indeed, we have ourselves borne witness to a similar state of things during a very deep snow many years ago. We can therefore fully bear out the fact that on such occasions hares and rabbits are easily captured by those who care to pursue them in the helpless condition in which a deep snow leaves them.

A VISIT TO OXFORD, AND RUN WITH THE H-YTHR-P.

BY "QUIZ."

Nigh seven long years have flown on the scene,
Since at Alma Mater, a freshman green,
With beardless chin and rosy check,

Ready for frolic, fun, or freak,

From discipline freed and the rage of the rod
I disported myself in the old back quad.
Nor care, nor sorrow had wrinkled my brow,
Nor remorse had gnawed at my heart: But now-
Well, hang it! we can't recall time that's spent,
And this is no place for sentiment :

Our path would be safer through life, could we see
Through the mists that envelope futurity;

But we can't; so we may as well let the thing be.

Theth of November last was the day
That I went down to Oxford to take my M.A.,
And to vote against Gladstone next opportunity,
Should it eventuate after next June that he
Has the want of tact and sufficient brass,
To play the last act in an impudent farce,
And to stand again for the place where he
Would let Jew and Dissenter riot scot-free;

Votes for "Tests Abolition," and "Death to the Rate,"
And a total divorce of Church and State-

At such profanation might crocodiles weep!

But we've wandered too far. To return to the " sheep,"

I was glad to revisit the place again,

And I started from town by the 12 o'clock train.

I reached St. Jude's at a quarter to two,

(The gates had been scraped and faced anew),
There was John the porter with ruddy face,
And scouts careering about apace,

With commons of meat, and tankards of ale,
Of strong and mild, and old and pale-
I crossed the quad a pint to take

At the Buttery-hatch for acquaintance' sake:
Then to Number 5, right hand, first floor,
I bent my steps, and knocked at the door.
"Come in."-"Well, Roderick, how do you do?"-
"Good lack! who'd have thought of seeing you?
'Tis a couple of years since you last were seen;
I thought you had cut the festive scene,
And were grinding away at the bar in town."-
"Well, so I was, but I just came down

To see you all, and take my M.A.,

And to kick up my heels for once and a day.
To see you reading; by all that's blue!

A thing one would never have thought of you.'
"Why, you see, old fellow, it must be done,
I've had an average spell of fun,

And now, I hope, with the help of the gods,
To scramble through these infernal mods.
The governor'd be vex'd, if I were to fail,
And I should be sham'd to tell tale,

If I went down ploughed for the Christmas vac. ;
And perhaps the dons might give me the sack;
My reputation aint over firm,

And I ha'nt been to chapel ten times this term."
"Well, how has the hunting been of late?
The leaf should be off, and the scent first-rate ;
And now that the drought has begun to break,
You ought to be having some sport with Drake."-
"The ground has been hard and the scent but weak,
But we had some average sport last week;
These last few days I've no time to ride,

And my boots and spurs have been thrown aside;
I'll tell you what, if you like to stay

Till Thursday next, I'll give you a day

On a chesnut of mine, a five-year-old,

Which I bought from Symonds, and which, I'm told, If I keep him dark will prove a good thing,

And win the Aylesbury safe in the spring."

"Upon my soul you're awfully kind,

But as for togs I've left them behind."-
"All right, I'll rig you spick and span,
And boot and breech you like a man.
But what will you have for lunch, my lad ?"-
"I don't care, anything that's to be had-
A basin of soup, and a pint of beer.".
"Hullo! hullo! Hi! David !"-" Sir !"-
"A couple of ducks, and soup if you please,
And ale and commons, and Stilton cheese."-

The hour we pleasantly pass away
As we talk of the topics of the day,

With a choice cheroot and a pipe of shag,

The Merton grinds and the Christchurch drag;

The Union, and Vincent's, the chat of the schools,

And the Anti-teapot Society fools;

The sport Jim Hills has shown of late,

And the probable stroke of the 'Varsity Eight;

And draw the conclusion thal nothing can

Compare with the "thorough-bred Oxford Man."

To force the pace and last the day,

There's nothing like blood and pluck to pay.
Pluck! 'tis the same by flood, by field,